The Chinese military has built mock targets of an American aircraft carrier
and other U.S. warships in the Taklamakan desert
as part of a new target range complex, according to photos by the company Maxar Images.
The full-scale model of a U.S. carrier and at least two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
are part of the target range that has been built in the Ruoqiang region in central China.
The carrier target itself appears to be a flat surface without the carrier’s island,
aircraft lifts, weapons sponsons or other details, the imagery from Maxar shows.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes why China is building life-sized model
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According to a summary of the Maxar images by geospatial intelligence company AllSource
Analysis that identified the site from satellite imagery,
the area has been traditionally used for ballistic missile testing.
The site is near a former target range China used to test early versions of its so-called
carrier killer DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missiles.
According to the AllSource Analysis summary, which said there are no indications of weapon impact
areas in the immediate vicinity of the mockups, “The mockups of several probable U.S. warships,
along with other warships (mounted on rails and mobile),
could simulate targets related to seeking/target acquisition testing,”
It was added, “This, and the extensive detail of the mockups,
including the placement of multiple sensors on and around the vessel targets,
it is probable that this area is intended for multiple uses over time.“
American carrier at sea are floating airfields armed with a fleet of strike
fighters and is the Pentagon's most potent conventional military asset.
Nimitz class carriers have been deployed for power projection far off from the American homeland.
The more sophisticated Ford class supercarriers are also expected to come online next.
It is fair to say that a US Navy carrier would be a formidable impediment
for any Chinese military maneuvers like an invasion against Taiwan.
China could get an upper hand in the Indo- Pacific if it can take out the US Navy carriers.
But there are tactical challenges when it comes to detecting, tracking and destroying a hardened
warship that is capable of moving at 55 kph or 35 mph in the vast western Pacific Ocean.
To mitigate this, China has developed a kill chain consisting of surveillance platforms like drones,
communication networks and asymmetric weapons.
China has two missiles that are specifically designed to
neutralize supercarriers - DF 21D & DF-26B.
The Dong-Feng 21 is a two-stage,
solid-fueled, single-warhead medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) in the Dong Feng series
developed by China Changfeng Mechanics and Electronics Technology Academy.
The DF-21D developed from DF-21 is said to be the world's first anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM).
It is thought to employ a maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV) with a terminal guidance system.
This gives it the ability to hit a moving aircraft carrier strike group
from long-range. Reports indicate that it has a speed of around 10 Mach.
According to the U.S. National Air and Space Intelligence Center, the missile has a
maximum range of around 1,450 km or 900 mi. It can carry a 600 kg or about 1350 lbs warhead.
The DF-26 has a range of 4,000 km or 2,500 mi and is thought to be designed to conduct precision
nuclear or conventional strikes. This missile is deemed to have an accuracy of 100 m CEP.
The missile was officially revealed at the Chinese 2015 parade commemorating
the end of the Second World War. In April 2018, it was officially
confirmed that the DF-26 was in service with the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force.
The missile has a two-stage solid-fueled propulsion system
and can accommodate 1,200 kg or about 2,650 lbs warhead.
DF-26B developed from DF-26 is the Anti Ship variant and can hit naval targets.
The presence of radar reflectors on the Chinese carrier mockups
seems to suggest that both the ASBMs are equipped with radar seekers.
It’s not the first time China has built an aircraft carrier target in the desert.
Since 2003, a large concrete pad, roughly the size of a carrier, has been used as a target.
The slab, which is part of the Shuangchengzi missile test range, has been hit many times
and also repaired several times. The new site in the Taklamakan desert
is 600 miles or about 950 miles away and is much more sophisticated.
This clearly shows that China is concerned about the capabilities
of US Navy supercarriers and is extremely serious about finding ways to counter them.
While this will be a source of worry for the US military, it is to be noted that 'kill chain'
is a complex process that would be difficult even for the U.S. military to execute perfectly
since and some links, especially communications can be disrupted through several means.
Earlier this year, Vice Adm. Jeffrey Trussler,
the deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare stated that,
China can continue spending money on anti-ship ballistic missiles, but it
might not be the capability needed to win if a conflict broke out between the U.S. and China.